Since beginning my Loyola career in 2012, I have both built and made committments to a new community.  I have accomplished this by engaging with Chicago, as well as the world.  I completed my Engaged-Learning credit in Tunisia, as a part of study abroad opportunity through the Political Science department.  I have also engaged with Chicago by participating in an internship with Illinois' State's Attorney's Office.  Both my study abroad opportunity and my experience as an intern has allowed me to engage with Chicago and the world.

In Tunisia I expanded my knowledge in the service of humanity through learning.  I participated in a 3-week course taught by Dr. Schrader, professor of Political Science at Loyola University Chicago.  One of the key attributes of this course was the opportunity to become engaged with a completely foreign part of the world for me, and for the majority of Americans.  Tunisia is in North Africa and part of the Arab world.  The media often portrays the Arab world in a way that makes it seem completely incompatible with the Western world, America in particular.  However, the only way that understanding will be reached is through communication and education.  In Tunisia, I was able to communicate with Tunisian students who were just like me.  This communication paired with the education I received from Dr. Schraeder during the course allowed me to better understand the Arab world.  With this new education I am better able to work towards bridging this distance between the Arab world and America.

Through my internship at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office I was able to serve as a law clerk.  As a law clerk, I was able to expand my knowledge int he service of humanity through justice.  Working in the Chicago judicial system allowed me to experience justice close up.  I served as a law clerk for three assistant state's attorneys working in the federal crimes division.  These individuals are the people ensuring that justice is served in the legal sphere.  Assisting these attorney's gave me the incredible chance to see how the pursuit of justice can be practiced in the professional world.  This opportunity opened a new line of thinking for me in regards to a profession in the legal sphere.